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Also consider our trip to Japan (Nagasaki) in 2017
Also consider our trip to Tokyo in 2013
Also consider our trip to Osaka Japan (Hiroshima) in 2006
We love Japan. This was Charlie's 6th trip and Jenny's 5th trip. Through 2022 we did not travel as many miles as usual, so when American Airlines had a sale on flights to Japan that would give us enough miles to retain our Executive Platinum status (the 2022 mileage accumulation year goes through February 2023) it was an easy decision. Jenny finished the year with 202,847 miles, only 1% over the necessary number.
Tokyo has two main airports... Narita (about 90 minutes train ride from where we go) and Haneda (formerly mostly domestic, but with a new International terminal), about 30 minutes by subway. We got a non-stop flight from Dallas Fort Worth airport to Haneda, leaving Austin Monday morning at 7:10 am and Arriving in Haneda Tuesday afternoon at 3:20 pm. Our return started Tuesday morning January 24, at 10:55 am, Haneda to DFW to Austin arriving Tuesday morning at 10:10 am. (Apparently before we left, but mix a dateline with 15 hours time zone change and you have an interesting result)
Tokyo has many different subway, metro, and train lines, in addition to buses and trams. Travel distances within Tokyo are huge but travel is relatively inexpensive - you can spend a half hour on the subway and not go 25% of the way across the city, but that trip will only cost about $3. However, you may need to change lines. The lines may be owned by different companies, so you may need to buy separate tickets for each part of the trip. And the price is distance dependent so getting tickets is a hassle. But there is a better, no hassle way. You can buy a "Suica" card (from a Japan Rail station) or a virtually identical "Pasmo" card (from the competing rail lines) which can be used interchangeably. Both cost a refundable ¥500 deposit (<$5), plus you can store money in the card (suggest ¥2000 for starters). They use the term "IC" for stored value. To ride you pass the card over an obvious spot (typically a blue light) as you enter and it will tell you the stored value and open the turnstile/gate. At the end of the trip you pass the card again and it will tell you the cost of that trip, and the balance of the stored value on the card. If your transfer involves changing train lines, you card out, change, and card in - hardly slowing down. Your IC card (Suica or Pasmo) can also be used to make purchases from many vending machines and convenience stores. When you leave you can turn in your card for a refund of the deposit and remaining money, less a small service fee.
Most of the subway lines have a Letter to define the line, and a sequential number for the train stop. It was not unusual for us to take a trip on E (Oedo line) from E20 to E28.
The subways are so clean that the floors are actually shiny. Announcements are in Japanese and English (almost intelligible) but the letter-number names help immensely. The electronic signs in the trains are in four languages including English.
Many cities have a special smart phone program to help you navigate the mass transit. The best one I have found for Tokyo is the same "Google Maps" you are probably already using. Japanese addresses are structured differently than we are used to, but it works great if you can specify the name of the attraction - from "A" Hotel to "B" Museum. Google Maps will tell you the walking time from your location to the first station, which train car you should get on for easiest exit or transfer, the walking time for the transfer, the intermediate subway stops, and the elapsed time and total cost of the trip. It even adjusts its answers based on time of day (the train schedules), and offers alternative routes.
Enough people speak English that you can probably find help (or often it we looked lost, an English speaking Japanese person offered to help.) Many signs are in English and Japanese. The only issue we ever had was looking for an exit, 
Believe it or not, Credit Cards have not caught on in Japan. You can use them in major restaurants (but not for small purchases). Most taxis now take credit cards. But you must use cash to add money to your Suica or Pasmo card or to buy individual train tickets.
Not all ATMs that you see are connected to the international banking network - your bank card will be rejected. The familiar 7-Eleven stores have an international bank subsidiary, so the ATMs in a 7-Eleven work better than those at many major banks, and will dispense Yen from your American bank account.
The many public rest rooms are free. Historically some did not provide toilet paper but they all did this trip. In Tokyo the used toilet paper is flushed down the toilet. But NONE of the public rest rooms had towels or blow dryers. Most people carry an extra handkerchief to dry their hands.
Tipping is rare in Japan, sometimes even considered an insult. Hard to believe, but not for food or taxis or anything.
We are used to the pandemic being over - few masks and no required quarantine at home. Not yet in Japan. We were asked to put on masks as we boarded Japan Air Lines in DFW, and were required to wear them in all public places in Japan. We even had to wear them at the hotel breakfast buffet when we went to fill our plates. We had to show our Covid vaccination card in Austin before we got boarding passes, in Dallas before we boarded the plane to Tokyo, and on arrival in Tokyo at immigration.
By the time we reached the hotel Tuesday afternoon we took a brief nap and went to dinner
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We took the Viator "Yanaka Walking Tour" of a historic areas of Tokyo. Our guide, Yoshimi Sakai, was kind enough to do the tour even though Jenny and I were the only participants this day. We met her at Nippori station, for the fabric town we visited a couple trips ago, but could not find the fabric town in a brief search. (On a map I later found a street with a suspicious name that radiated from the station in a different direction than I had been looking.) In Japan it is rude to point to someone, even yourself. Therefore if you want to signify yourself, you touch your nose. |
The tour started with some historic cemeteries - the larger plots were for entire families. Practically everyone is cremated so there is lots of room in this big plot. |
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There are two primary religions in Japan. Shinto, unique to Japan, with many shrines, and Buddhism, international, with many Temples. Some people do a mixture of the two. This is Buddhist grave, with the statue, and a place (bottom of the black part) where incense is burned. Some even have a small slot where you can leave your business card, implying "I visited to honor your ancestors." |
A traditional Buddha outside a temple we visited. |
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The old cemetery is so large that the post at the left side is the row/column map markers. If a plot is not maintained for 5 years (the traditional annual visits include maintenance) it is reclaimed and recycled. |
The cemetery of the last samurai with his crest on the gate. His extended family is buried here. |
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Community gathering recreation area. The home on the left has an opening to a kitchen where you can buy food. The building ahead is where you can buy beverages. |
Old Yoshida sake store, originally built in 1910, reconstructed in 1935. It's long eaves and wide entrance are characteristic of such merchant buildings. The first floor is the counter and office with a warehouse at the side, the second floor is the home of the merchant. Notice the huge wood beam over the opening, going the width of the store. |
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Flower gardens are often in pots so they can be rearranged or protected from occasional freezing weather. |
Not everyone can travel to Mt. Fuji, a sacred site worshiped since ancient times in Japan. Therefore some neighborhoods have a small shrine, a Fuji Zaka, made from volcanic rocks from Mt. Fuji. |
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The oldest neighborhoods have very tiny houses on small alleys. Notice the first house with wood and paper door, the second house is up three steps, then another and another. The houses often shared a community bath house. |
This Buddhist statue is for healing. If, for example, you have a sore shoulder, you ladle water from below onto the corresponding shoulder of the statue, and use the brush on the statue to rub the pain away. |
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A Shinto shrine typically has a massive entry gate. |
If going through one gate is good, then going through a thousand gates must be better - bring better luck. I don't think there were a thousand (even though that is the term they used) but there were sure a lot, not all of which were built for someone over 6 feet tall. |
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As we were accumulating the luck of many gates, we encountered a couple teen-age girls in native dress (which in the last 10 or so years seems to also require a smart phone). |
The primary shrine
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We have just passed the oriental new year, the year of the rabbit. Note the ceramic rabbit in the center, and the cloth rabbit at the side. |
I recorded 14,685 steps this day - almost 7 miles, but the tour was great - highly recommended.
We visited the Fukagawa Edo Museum. It is a life-size replica of old Edo in the former Fukagawa ward (now Koto ward) of Tokyo, Japan, from around 1840. The indoor reconstruction includes 11 buildings: houses, shops, a theater, a boathouse, a tavern, and a fire tower, all built using traditional techniques. |
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As you go downstairs to visit the reconstructed community the mechanical cat (not built to the standards of the rest of the village) on the roof howls to announce your arrival. We were met by a docent gentleman with excellent English skills that guided us through the exhibit. |
One of the stores was a vegetable market (green grocer) with an attractive food display. |
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Another building was the wholesale rice dealer with bags of rice in the storage. |
This is the general store with a wide variety of merchandise. |
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A residential home for people working elsewhere (not a store in their home. |
On Friday we took an all day trip to Mount Fuji. Mount Fuji is in two provinces (states) with the top part in neither, as a sacred site. It started with a two hour bus ride, then visit to parks and attractions on one side of the mountain, followed by a visit to the other side. On the second side is a huge discount mall, so we had a choice of shopping or taking a mineral bath (Onsen) in the "healing sacred water" that comes from the ground clean, mineral rich, and hot. (Mt Fuji is a volcano that last erupted in 1707, but last grumbled in the 1960s)
As we approached the view became increasingly clear, helped by perfect weather. |
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There is a substantial amusement park nearby - I guess Japanese teenagers need an enticement when their parents come to a holy site. |
Thomas the train and friends is very popular. We even rode in a subway car in Tokyo with the inside decorated in that theme. |
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The closest view of this side |
Lots of water flows continuously from the mountain. The parks have numerous streams, enough to make this water wheel operate (but it no longer appears to do anything useful) |
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This particular pond is a required photo op since there is a reflection of Mr. Fuji, |
There was a location where you could fill your container with the special mineral water from the mountain. It is clean (potable) and has a refreshing flavor. We bought a coke; because of the location it cost more and came in a smaller bottle, but it was a commemorative Mt. Fuji screw top can, which seemed like a suitable container for the water we brought home. |
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Numerous ponds were stocked with koi, in several colors especially blue and black in addition to the traditional gold. |
Some of the fish have become very large. |
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View as we came around to the second side |
It was getting late in the day from this side. Mountain Climbing is available for those so inclined, a couple months in the summer. At 12,389 feet it is not a causal afternoon walk, but is not considered difficult. |
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Onsen, or Mineral Baths was our conclusion before returning to Tokyo. Photos are not allowed.
Saturday morning Jenny found the National Museum of Western Art in the Ueno area of central Tokyo. The permanent collection was impressive even to us people who have visited the famous collections throughout Europe. And, surprise, admission is free for those over 65. The special exhibition was works of Picasso, but the lines to see it were endless, and we have been to his home and studios.
We go to church, and there is a wonderful English speaking "Franciscan Chapel Center" in Roppongi near central Tokyo that we have attended several times in the past 10 years.
This was the day to visit our friends Stuart and Emiko Ablett and their daughter Erika who studied engineering in Canada and has returned to Tokyo. It was also a day to learn that Japanese addresses are not as simple as they appear. I entered their address in Google Maps as stored in my iPhone. It happily directed me for a couple subway stops followed by a 6 block walk. No big deal, except I knew that wasn't the Ablett house, and I could not describe where I was when I called Stuart. He said hand my phone to a clerk in a store (and somehow convince him to speak into it, and converse in Japanese). When I got the phone back they promised to pick us up in 10 minutes!
We visited a craft shop that advertised itself as a museum. Not bad, but I don't recommend it. In the process we saw another part of Tokyo.
We returned for a simple dinner and to pack since we were leaving the hotel very early in the morning. We had been told the the nearby Denny's was upscale from American Denny's so we tried it. Enter and were banished back to the entrance since we hadn't used hand sanitizer. As we used the sanitizer, I saw a number appear that was probably our temperature in Celsius. We were then shown to a table and asked for an English menu. The waiter handed us the iPad or equivalent located on that table, and pushed the English language button. We had an electronic menu, with pictures, and the option to order whatever we wanted. The choices included some upscale entrees, as well as wine and beer. Service was effective and prompt - they got our order right. When done, we took our credit card to the cashier and checked out.
Through most of the day the airport bus picks up from our hotel, but with a 10:55 am departure (plus bus ride, checkin, and security) we had to leave closer to 7:30 am so we took a taxi to the bus terminal, and rode the bus to Haneda.
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